Introduction and Background

Hello! I’m Ximena Mares, part of the incoming freshman class of 2029 at Drexel University. Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, I moved to a small town for my elementary, middle, and high school life. There, I attended a small high school of around 80 students. It was at this school that I encountered a learning system known as the Harkness method, which supports students’ learning. Consisting of classes of around 10 people, we discuss topics and assignments together. This helps us to articulate, listen and understand others’ ideas. I believe that this method was instrumental towards the formation of my own attitude towards learning.

Why did I choose to study abroad?

The school that I attended, despite its small size, offered many international opportunities and exchange programs. It was through this that I was able to participate in a Model United Nations conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was here that I fell in love with the idea of going somewhere new for university.

Why the US?

Growing up, I consumed a lot of US media, from magazines to movies. Additionally, a lot of classmates and teachers were foreign. This made me want to study somewhere with a similar environment. Additionally, I wanted to pursue a direction that was not common in Mexico, as a political science major is not very common.

Originally, I did not consider the US at all, and I applied to some universities in Europe and Asia, such as those in Spain, Romania, and Türkiye. However, eventually, I chose to study in the US, applying at the end of my gap year.

My love for the city and Drexel

After the acceptance results came out, I was accepted into the following schools

• Loyola University of Chicago

• Simmons University

• Wesleyan College

• Loyola Marymount University

• Miami University (Ohio) 

• University of Denver 

• Valparaiso University

I was also wait-listed at

• Rhodes College

• University of Miami

• Whitman College

Considering these choices, I chose Drexel because of three main factors. Firstly, it offered an undergraduate course in PPE (politics, philosophy, and economics), which would provide me with a more well-rounded view than a single major such as political science. Additionally, it offered me a very extensive financial aid package in comparison to other universities. Lastly, I loved the environment of Philadelphia, in which Drexel is located. Being in a big city, it had a lot of diversity and offered the city lifestyle I had fallen in love with.

My Stats

• GPA: 9.4/10

• SAT/ACT: I went test-optional

• Duolingo: 130/160

My Activities

For my activities, I focused mostly on advocating for equality and the conservation of nature. I founded the Model United Nations club at my school, where I led two MUN conferences, weekly sessions, mentored students as well and attended the MUN conference in the UAE.

In addition to being class president, I was also focused on menstrual activism, where I was an environmental ambassador, focusing on advocating for menstrual equity on social media. In this work, I also researched and published a paper on microplastics. Building on my work for menstrual equality, I participated in Talentum Mujeres Civitas organized by Mexico’s Instituto Nacional Electoral. Focusing on public policy for young women, I helped create a graphic novel to raise awareness about and prevent sexual assault in children.

My other passion was about the environment. I participated in a group called “Ecology & Conservation of Whales” ,  where I helped raise money at farmers’ markets and participated in field trips. Additionally, I volunteered at the Conservation of Wonderful Species of Banderas Bay A.C., helping to protect animals in the Bay. At school, I was a member of the environmental club and co-founded the Rainbow You initiative to support LGBTQ+ Mexican artists.

In addition to my extracurriculars, I was honored with several awards that recognize both academic excellence and leadership. I won first place in the Juan Escutia Public Speaking Competition with a speech on “Preventing Gender-Based Violence Among Mexican Youth,” receiving a monetary award of 3,000 MXN. At school, I was awarded the Renaissance Award, which is given to the top student in the graduating class; the Humanities Award, recognizing the highest achievement in that academic field; and the Honor Jacket, awarded to students with a GPA of 9.0 or higher.

My Essays

In my Common App essay, I decided to use an extended metaphor of making Spotify playlists, explaining 3 of my main playlists. Through this, I connected them to my values, showcasing my aspirations and goals. You can find the starting sentence here:

The Application Process

I started my application process in August, submitting all my applications in November. I only applied to schools that were known to offer generous financial aid to international students. To have my best shot at being offered aid, I either applied Early Action or the binding Early Decision. Unfortunately, my ED choice, Smith College, rejected me. The only school I applied to under Regular Decision was Whitman College, which waitlisted me.

Borderless was very helpful in my application process, such as the tools to make the university lists, evaluating my ECs, essays, as well as their posts on TikTok and Instagram. Other creators on social media also helped me get an insight into applications. My school counsellor was also very helpful.

Financial Aid

After submitting my CSS profile, Drexel offered me 83,000 USD per year in a combination of financial aid (need-based) and merit awards, which covers tuition and housing. My Family covers the remaining 6200 USD and an additional 5000 USD for other expenses.

In total, I received around 850,000 dollars in financial aid for the 4 years total of all the schools I was accepted into.

To my younger self….